Girdle



Nov. 3, 1942. M. GOODMAN GIRDLE Filed Sept. 8, 1939 INVENTOR MARTIN 6000mm ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 3, 1942 GIRDLE Martin Goodman, New York, N. Y., assignor to The Neatform C0. In'c., New York, N. Y,, a corporation of New York Application September 8, 1939, Serial No. 293,889

5 Claims. (Cl. 2-2'7) This invention relates to girdles, and more particularly to elastic girdles.

The primary object of my invention is to generally improve elastic girdles for feminine wear. A more particular object is toprovide a flexible girdle with an inelastic and preferably boned panel to help mold and confine the body, particularly at the stomach below the waist.

Further objects are to make such panel selfadjustable as toposition, relative to the girdle, and to so mount the same on the girdle as not to interfere with th desired free elastic stretch of the girdle. Another object is to hold the panel in generally correct desired relation where it will do the most good, and to so arrange the locating or holding means as to keep the panel stretched out in taut condition when the girdle is being worn. Some of the connections from the panel to the girdle, preferably run to the lower edge of the girdle, and a further object is to prevent the lower edge of the girdle from being pulled up, for this would be uncomfortable to the wearer, and would destroy the desired smooth molded contours of the body. With this object in view,

the girdle is provided with front and back garters for the support of stockings, and the connections from the inelastic panel are extended to the front and back garters.

In accordance with still another object and feature of my invention, the panel and its connections are made readily detachable from the girdle, thus facilitating laundering of the girdle, and also making it possible to use the girdlewithout the panel, when desired.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing, and such other objects as will hereinafter appear, my invention consists in the girdle and panel elements and their relation one to the other as hereinfater are more particularly described in the specification and sought to be defined in the claims. The specification is accompanied by a drawing, in which: I

Fig. 1 shows a girdle embodying features of my invention, in position on the wearer; i

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the girdle turned inside out;

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing'the rear of the girdle when turned inside out;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken in the plane of the line 4- of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 shows a modified form of the invention; and

Fig. 6 shows one of the hook-like connections used when the panel is made detachable.

Referring to the drawing, and more particuclearly shown in Fig. 3.

larly to'Fig. 1, the complete foundation garment comprises an elastic girdle l2 and an inelastic panel I4, the latter preferably being provided with a number of bones or stays it. The girdle is provided with front garters l8, and rear garters 29 which are not visible in Fig. 1, but which are The panel I4 is prefererably free of girdle i2 andis not stitched directly thereto. It is secured to the girdle at its upper corners, as is indicated at iii, while its bottom edge is drawn downwardly by elastic tapes 22 which preferably extend to the garters IS. The lower side portions of panel id are drawn rearwardly and downwardly by elastic tapes 24 and 26 which extend to the rear garters 2%, as is clearly shown in Fig. 3.

Considering the arrangement in greater detail,

the girdle i2 is preferably of conventionaltyp'e, it

being knit partially out of Lastex or similar elastic threads. The construction is such as to include horizontally or circumferentially extending laid-in elastic threads, so that the elasticity of the girdle is predominantly in a circumferential direction, although it is also yieldable in a vertical direction. The upper and lower edges are reinforced by appropriate elastic tapes 28 and at (Fig. 2), all in accordance with conventional practice.

Thepanel M is made of an inelastic or woven fabric having no elastic threads. The stays or bones Iii are secured in place by covering tapes 32 which are preferably located on the inside of stitched to thepanel, preferably by disposing the same between the panel and an inside reinforcing tape 34 (Fig. i) The tape 3 is stitched to the panel by two parallel lines of stitching 35, and

thes lines of stitchingpass through the ends of the elastic tapes 22, '24, and 26, thus anchoring the same inpos'ition. Similar remark applies to the small loops of elastic tape 38 secured to the upper corners of the panel.

The ends of the elastic tapes are provided with special connections or hook-like members 40 which make them readily detachable.

The nature of members 46 is clearly shown in Fig. 6,

they comprising a closed loop 42 and an open loop or hookM. Reverting now to Fig. 2 the lower ends of elastic tapes 22 are passed through the closed loops and are stitched in position at 46. Referring to Fig. 3, it will be seen that the tapes 24 and 25 preferably consist of one single length of reversely folded tape which passes through the closed loop of the hook 49. The comparatively short elastic tapes 38 at the top of the panel are preferably reversely folded loops of tape, the double ends of which are stitched to the panel.

The books of tapes 22 are received in small loops of elastic tape 50 (Fig. 2) which are stitched to the lower edge of the girdle at small pads or cushions 52. The reversely folded loops of elastic tape for the garters are also stitched to the girdle at the pads 52, and the attachment of the parts is strengthened by the presence of reinforcing tape 38 at the bottom of the girdle.

Referring now to Fig, 3, in a similar way the hooks of tapes 24 and 26 are received by elastic loops 54 which are stitched in position at pads 56, at which point the garter tapes are also attached. Common stitching may be used for securing all of the tapes and the pad together, so that the attachment is a secure one with the pull of the tapes 24, 26 being transmitted more or less directly to the garters.

The hooks of tapes 38 at the upper corners of the panel (Fig. 2) are received in loops of elastic tape 58 which are stitched to the girdle, preferably by a rectangle of stitching having lines of stitching which extend horizontally, as well as vertically, on loops 58 The location of the loops 58 is such that the inelastic panel M is in loose or plaited or folded condition, as is clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 4, when the girdle is in unstretched condition. This insures that there will be no unnecessary restraint against stretching of the girdle when it is being worn, and at that time the panel is drawn sidewardly and downwardly to taut con- 'dition.

constrcted like panel l4 previously described. It

may be similarly provided with bones or stays which, however, are not shown in the drawing. Panel I It is held downwardly by tapes I22 which are permanently connected to the lower edge of the girdle at the garters I I8. The lower side portions of panel H4 are drawn sidewardly and downwardly by circumferentially extending elastic tapes I 26 which extend rearwardly and downwardly to the rear garters, which are not visible in Fig. 5, but which correspond to the garters 20 in Figs, 2 and 3. The panel H4 is secured to the top of the girdle by triangular pieces Ill of heavy elastic tape or webbing. This is ordinary woven material with the elastic threads running diagonally; that is, parallel to the outside edges 12 of the triangular pieces. The upper edges I4 of the triangles are secured to the top edge of the girdle at the reinforcing tape I6, while the inside edges 18 of the triangular pieces are stitched to the side edges of panel H4. The stitching along the edges I8 does not go through the girdle H2. The top edge Ell of panel H4 is also preferably free of the girdle, and the parts are so proportioned that when the girdle is in unstretched condition the panel H4 is in loose or plaited condition. The top edge 80 of panel H4 is preferably disposed at least a small distance below the top edge of the girdle. Thus the panel H4 is free of the girdle H2, except through the elastic connections Ill, I 22 and I26. The panel is therefore self-adjustable in position, and does not interfere with the desired stretch of the girdle H2.

However, the rearwardly extending tapes I26 function to spread or pull the sides of the panel apart into the desired taut condition in which the panel and its stays can be of the most benefit for correcting protrusion at the abdomen, and to give the body the desired smooth, molded contour, all without any of the discomfort attendant upon wearing heavy inelastic corsets.

It is believed that the construction, as well as the advantages of my improved girdle, will be apparent from the foregoing detailed description thereof. It will also be apparent that while I have shown and described my invention in several preferred forms, many changes and modifications may be made in the structures disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention, as sought to be defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A foundation garment comprising an elastic girdle, a less elastic panel at the front of said girdle, the edges of said panel being free of the girdle for self-adjustment of position, said panel being in loose or plaited condition when the girdle is in unstretched condition, front and back garters at the bottom of the girdle, and elastic bands extending from the panel to the front garters, and additional elastic bands extending from the panel to the back garters.

2. A foundation garment comprising a knit circumferentially yieldable girdle, an inelastic panel at the front of said girdle, said panel extending downwardly from the upper edge of the girdle for a distance of about two-thirds the height of the girdle, bones or stays in said panel, the edges of said panel being free of the girdle for self-adjustment of position, said panel being in loose or plaited condition when the girdle is in unstretched condition, front and back garters at the bottom of the girdle, elastic bands extending downwardly from the bottom of the panel to the front garters, and additional elastic bands extending circumferentially rearwardly and downwardly from the lower side portions of the panel to the back garters.

3. A foundation garment comprising an elastic girdle, a less elastic panel at the front of said girdle, front and back garters at the bottom of the girdle, elastic bands extending downwardly from the bottom of the panel to the front garters, additional elastic bands extending circumferentially rearwardly and downwardly from the lower side portions of the panel to the rear garters, and hooks in said bands and at the upper corners of said panel for detachabie mounting of the panel in the girdle.

4. A foundation garment comprising an elastic girdle, a less elastic panel at the front of said girdle, back garters at the bottom of the girdle, loops of elastic material extending upwardly at each of the garters, loops of elastic material socured near the upper edge of the girdle at side of the panel, elastic bands extending circumferentially rearwardly and downwardly from the lower side portions of the panel and terminating in hooks detachably received in the loops at the rear garters, and additional hooks at the ward and having their inner edges secured to the panel and having their top edges secured to the girdle, front and back garters at the bottom of the girdle, elastic bands extending downwardly from the bottom of the panel to the front garters, and additional elastic bands extending circumferentially rearwardly and downwardly from the lower side portions of the panel to the rear garters.

MARTIN GOODMAN. 

